Ashoka UK is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all young people who participate in Changed By Us. This Safeguarding Annex sets out how Ashoka approaches safeguarding, how information shared by Applicants may be handled, and the responsibilities of adults submitting Entries on behalf of children.
This Annex forms part of the Changed By Us Terms and Conditions.
- Commitment to Safety
Ashoka UK is dedicated to providing an environment where all children and young people are treated with dignity and respect. We will take all reasonable steps to prevent harm, respond appropriately to concerns, and follow UK safeguarding laws and best practice.
Changed By Us is designed to highlight positive stories of changemaking. However, we recognise that Entries may occasionally include sensitive personal information. Any safeguarding or wellbeing concern raised through an Entry, communication, or interaction with Ashoka will be taken seriously.
- Handling Sensitive Disclosures
If an Entry contains information that suggests a young person may be at risk of harm, experiencing distress, or disclosing sensitive personal circumstances, Ashoka may:
assess the information for safeguarding relevance
follow Ashoka’s safeguarding policy and procedures
contact the parent or guardian where appropriate
seek advice from safeguarding professionals
take action required under UK law
provide signposting to suitable support services
Ashoka will not ignore any disclosure that indicates potential risk.
- Responsibilities of Parents, Guardians, and Adult Allies
For Applicants aged 5–13, an adult must submit the Entry on the young person’s behalf and must ensure:
they have obtained parental or guardian permission
the content submitted is appropriate
the young person is safe, supported, and not placed in harmful situations through participation
For Applicants aged 13–17, parents or guardians must give explicit consent for participation and media use. Parents, guardians, and adult allies must not include information in an Entry that places a young person or others at risk.
- Contact with Young People
If an Entry is selected for spotlighting, Ashoka may contact the Applicant (and their parent or guardian where appropriate) to discuss:
Interviews
photography or filming
exhibitions or storytelling events
further information about the project or initiative
All communication with young people under 18 will be managed in accordance with safeguarding good practice and will typically involve a parent, guardian, teacher, or adult ally.
- Digital Safety
Ashoka will take steps to ensure that online interactions, digital submissions, and virtual meetings are conducted safely and appropriately. This may include:
- requiring adult supervision for Applicants under 13
- ensuring group sessions are moderated
- using secure digital platforms
- restricting sharing of personal contact information
- Reporting Concerns
If any Applicant, parent, guardian, or adult ally becomes aware of behaviour related to the Programme that may pose a safeguarding concern, they are encouraged to contact Ashoka UK directly as soon as possible.
Safeguarding concerns can be raised by emailing:
[email protected]
(These will be forwarded to the appropriate safeguarding lead within Ashoka UK.)If a young person is in immediate danger, please contact emergency services.
- Data Protection and Confidentiality
Safeguarding information will be handled sensitively and confidentially. However, Ashoka may need to share relevant information with authorities where there is a legal duty or legitimate safeguarding concern.
All data will be processed in accordance with UK data protection law and the Changed By Us Terms and Conditions.
- Updates to This Annex
Ashoka may update this Safeguarding Annex as required to comply with changes in law, guidance, or best practice. Any updates will be published on the Changed By Us platform.